Lets work to stay warm on this cool day in MN and talk with @AmbitiousKitch about food! Enjoy the conversation!

Good morning Monique! When it comes to food and cooking, what is one of your earliest memories of doing that?

Monique:    Hi Joel! My first memories would have to be watching both of my parents cook with passion. Dad baked and Mom cooked!

Do you remember the first time you made something? What was it and how did it turn out?

Monique:    When I was younger I found it easier to bake; I loved that it was both science and an art.

That being said, I baked a lot of brownies. I’m sure they turned out pretty well, because I always ate them.

Brownies are ALWAYS a good choice! :) When did you decide to start cooking/blogging?

Monique:    During college, I found that it was my passion but I didn’t know how to turn it into a career.

I followed food blogs & thought it would be a great way to share my recipes w/ others. I started AK in late 2011.

Having a passion for what you do is important. Who are some of the people & their blogs that inspire(d) you?

Monique:    I absolutely love the blogging community. I have a passion for brand building & content creation so it’s perfect.

My favorite blogs are @sugarplumtweets & @HowSweetBlog. They’re both incredibly creative and funny!

Other than that my readers inspire me every single day with their comments and emails; they’re amazing!

Cooking is one skill, blogging and photography are other skills. Which one is the hardest to develop?

Monique:    Probably photography. It involves props, proper lighting, and telling a visual story.

But you know, there’s workshops & you can read books. I kind of just wing the whole photography thing & it works out.

When it comes to your own taste, are you more of a sweet or savory person?

Monique:    SWEET, but I focus my blog on sweet delights & healthy bites. I love making recipes healthy, creative, and flavorful!

I see. What are some cooking/baking trends that you are most excited about?

Monique:    I think making vegetables the star in our meals — cauliflower will be huge this year. Popcorn too!

I’m also excited to see flavor-packed chicken make a comeback in restaurants. I think we’ll see a lot of creativity.

Another ever-growing trend is pizza, as brought out in @MNMOmag – http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Minnesota-Monthly/March-2013/The-Twin-Cities-Best-Pizza/ … Do you have a favorite?

Monique:    Hmmmm I like to make my own but Pizzeria Lola and Punch are pretty divine.

When you make your own pizza, what are some of your favorite toppings?

Monique:    Homemade mini Hawaiian turkey meatballs, pineapple, black olives, fresh mozzarella, and a good red sauce.

Nice! :) In your blogging/cooking process, does your own appetite guide you, or do your readers more so?

Monique:    Mostly me. I need to put out content and recipes that I’m proud of and I like challenging myself in that way.

What can we expect from you in the near future with your food work?

Monique:    A brand new site, partnerships, and maybe a cookbook. Oh and more recipes of course!

Joel:    Thank you very much for your time and comments today. Keep up the good work in making things look delicious!

Monique:    No problem, thanks for having me! :)

Interview conducted on March 15,2013

Hello everyone! Welcome to today’s Food-Friday Twitterview featuring @wphsu as today’s guest. Lets get cooking!

Will:    Thanks for inviting me to be part of your Food-Friday Twitterview. I’m excited to get started!

Q – #1    So @wphsu, share with everyone following today, where did you grow up and go to school?

Will:    I grew up in Wausau, WI and worked the family farm as a kid. I went to undergraduate @UWMadison and later went on for my MBA.

I got my MBA a few years ago at Harvard Business School, proud to be a @UWMadison alum and @HBSAlumni

Q – #2     I see. So after schooling, what did you do and how did you end up in MN?

Will:    After undergrad I started at General Mills in Mpls. They sponsored my MBA @HBSAlumni, I’ve moved around w/ the company.

I’ve been fortunate to live a lot of places, including Boston, Phoenix, Beijing, Taipei, but have loved living here.

Although I will say there is always a soft spot in my heart for Wisconsin and Madison. I still call it “home”.

Q – #3    How then did you get connected with #GenMills, and what’s your role with them?

Will:    There’s a funny story about #GenMills and my start here, too long for Twitter. Suffice it to say, friends working here.

Recruited out of @UWMadison School of Business for #GenMills Finance Leadership Development Program. Still in finance.

I’m currently Sr Finance Manager, Global Financial Systems – Controller’s Dept. A long way of saying, I manage teams.

Our teams are responsible for internal and external financial reporting systems that are used by the company. Exciting.

Q – #4    Lets now move to your blogging activities. How does someone interested in Finance get into food blogging?

Will:    Great question. I started blogging in 2004 before I went to @HBSAlumni and gained a following as a b-school blogger.

After MBA I blogged about work & life, got back into it during wedding planning two years ago with my now wife Jenny.

We had a lot of family internationally that couldn’t attend the wedding, so we used blogging to share things with them.

After the wedding and honeymoon glow subsided, Jenny and I started blogging about cooking at home and dining in the TC.

It’s been crazy to see the growth in social media and blogging, but I’ve also found it to be a wonderful community.

Jenny and I love food and we enjoy sharing it w/ others. So blogging about cooking & dining was just a natural outlet.

Q – #5    Interesting! So your blog has evolved as your life has. What are some recent places that you’ve commented on?

Will:    Yes, I’m sure someday we’ll be the parents blogging about our kids. Recently we’ve been to some of our local favorites.

Some of our recent faves include @HeidisMpls, Restaurant Alma, and Cafe Levain. @AdamVickerman is always cooking.

We try to eat out 2-3x and cook 4-5x a week. Food is always on our minds. For more info blog link: bit.ly/tchaochi

Hardest part about blogging now is that we eat out and cook so often, that are free time is consumed by food. Ironic.

I’m fortunate to work for a great food company that still gives me enough time to pursue other passions in life too.

Q – #6    So you are more of a local restaurant goer as opposed to chain restaurants?

Will:    That’s a softball question! I’m a local convert. Local restaurants, local produce, and more recently local meat.

I’ll eat at local restaurants when I travel, growing up in a rural farming community as a kid, everything is local.

We have so many wonderful restaurants and talented chefs here in the TC, why wouldn’t you eat local? That’s the ? I ask

2 individuals particularly shaped how Jenny and I eat now, Brenda Langton @spoonriver1 & @ScottPampuch @CTKitchentable

I’ve also been influenced & supported by a great group of other "local" #MNFoodBloggers who support the local movement.

Interactions w/ amazing local restaurants, chefs, bloggers and farmers have made us realize how interconnected we are.

Q – #7    More about YOU: Favorite(s) Restaurant, comfort food, vegetable, spice or herb, city to eat in.

Will:    Soapbox off. Favorite local restaurant all-time: Restaurant Alma. @HeidisMpls wasn’t here when I moved to Mpls in 2000.

Fave food: Big steaming bowl of ramen. My wife will laugh when she reads this. She says I can eat noodle soup everyday.

I’m assuming potatoes don’t count as a vegetable. I consider them a starch, where’s that outdated USDA food pyramid.

Favorite spice: Anything red, smoked paprika, chipotle, cayenne, red curry, etc. Hot and spicy is how I like them

Fave eating city: formerly Taipei, but it’s been too long so I don’t know it as well anymore. Recently Penang, Malaysia

Q – #8    To end with, if you could share a meal with any 1 person dead/alive, who would you choose and why?

Will:    I guess I’d have to say I’d like to share a meal with the future POTUS after the next election.

I chose the next President because I don’t think Americans will change eating habits until govt regulations change.

Until then, i’ll just keep doing my own local thing and tweeting with #MNFoodBloggers like you. Keep up the good work.

@JoelECarlson:    Okay. Well thank you @wphsu for your time, comments and prize contribution today. Have a great weekend and enjoy your dinning!

Will:    Thank you for inviting me and having me on #jectv. Look forward to more great conversations with you and others in the future.

@JoelECarlson: Hello @Eating4England and everyone following today’s Food-Friday Twitterview. Does today’s MN weather remind you of home?

Angharad: Hi Joel and everyone! Thanks for having me today, I’m thrilled to be your guest! And yes…dreary, rainy, grey…England :)

Q – #1    So you’re comfortable! :) Lets start by finding out what part of England you’re from and where you went to school?

Angharad: I was born in London but grew up mainly in Reading – about 40 miles west of Ldn. I went to university in Sheffield…

…in northern England. My major was American Studies which brought me to the U.S. & a year abroad at UT in Austin, TX!

Q – #2    So explain how you ended up living in MN then?

Angharad: Well I met a young man named Dan at UT who became my boyfriend. We stayed together long distance before I decided…

…to make the leap and move to Minneapolis (where he was born + raised + then lived) after a year of backpacking…

…I moved to Minneapolis permanently. We’re now married :)

Q – #3    Sweet story! So how long have you been living in MN, and how has the adjustment to a different country been going?

Angharad: I moved here four years ago – this will be my fifth Mpls summer! The adjustment took a long time to be honest…

…I’d say it was a couple years before it really felt like home to me. I still miss the UK a lot but Mpls is home now!

Q – #4    Were there any stores, restaurants, cafes or pubs in MN that reminded you of the UK?

Angharad: Apart from the obvious ones that tout themselves as British or Irish, there aren’t many. Things are different here :)

Q – #5    Of course, sometimes familiar surroundings help with the transition! :) When did you decide to start blogging / why?

Angharad: A couple of years ago I started discovering and avidly reading food blog. It was a revelation to me! I started …

…blogging soon after but it’s only in the past year my blog’s taken on it’s current style. The other factor in my…

…blogging the way I do was a growing interest in recipes, local food here & a huge interest/love of food photography.

ugh sorry for typos (“it’s”)…getting excited/ahead of myself!

Q – #6    Please share a link to to your blog and share what your blog encompasses.

Angharad: My blog lives at www.eating-for-england.com. I write about my food experiences growing up in U.K.+ living in the U.S…

…I like to focus on simple, easy recipes (since I’m fairly new to cooking/baking this seems wise!) as well as tales..

…of travel & adventure. Hopefully my growing love of food/cooking/eating shines through on the blog – that’s my aim!

Q – #7    Lets find out more about YOU! Favorite(s): Restaurant, store, co-op or grocery, vegetable, spice/herb/seasoning.

Angharad: Woah that’s a big list! Ok, fave restaurant is 112 Eatery. I’ve had great experiences there, it’s v dear to my heart…

…I’m also a huge pizza fan. I became quite fond of Pizza Biga (Dan used to throw dough there!) That crust, mmm…

Fave stores: surdyks for cheese, @sewardcoop is WONDERFUL + I love wandering through Kitchen Window staring longingly!

My fav vegetable. Wow, that’s tough. Bacon’s a vegetable, right? My fave herb/spice, toasted cumin seeds all the way!

Q – #8    Any style or kinds of stores/markets in the UK that you wish were here?

Angharad: I do miss having a local butcher + fish monger + uber local coops. My coop in Sheffield was a tiny, wonderfully small..

…place about the size of my bedroom-loved it! Other than that I’d say types of restaurants/food are what I miss most.

Q – #9    If you could eat and cook a meal with any 1 person (dead/alive), who would you pick and why?

Angharad: Yesterday my Dad found + sent me my Grandma’s original recipe for Welsh cakes w a special note about me on it. Welsh…

…cakes are traditionally made on a bakestone – which I don’t have – so I’d love to make those with my Grandma.

Q – #10    Awwww. :) So do you have any plans to do some vacationing/travel this year? Have you ever gone fishing?

Angharad: I went fishing last summer! It rocked my face. This summer friends from UK are visiting so big plans to show them MN…

…lanesboro for tubing/biking and I’d love to finally make it to boundary waters. Other than that, UK in November!

@JoelECarlson: Rocked your face??? Sounds like some fun time is coming up for you soon. Thanks for your comments and time today!

Angharad: Thanks so much for having me Joel! Super fun :)

@JoelECarlson – Hello everybody, and welcome to an early AM Twitterview with @cafecyan. Grab your coffee and lets get Tweet’n. :)

Q – #1    So @cafecyan, how did you come up with your Twitter handle and where did you grow up?

A: My Twitter handle is my blog name, a combo of my name and my husband’s name, Ryan.

I also used to be in print photography, so cyan was a color I often did color corrections with. Grew up in good ‘ol Burnsville, MN

Q – #2    I see. So what HS did you attend and then what kind of schooling or training did you get after that?

A: Went to Burnsville High School, then to Arizona State (too much $$) so I transferred to U of WI – La Crosse after a year of fun.

My degree is in Human Resources and I’m also professionally certified (oolala, fancy). I was a total business geek.

Q – #3    Interesting! So how did you transfer from biz interest into your food interest?

A: I have been writing Cafe Cyan since 2006 as a hobby to keep track of the new recipes we were creating/making…

I was inspired by the vegan and vegetarian bloggers out there doing cool stuff with vegetables; there was a great community going on.

Laid off last year after 8+ years in recruiting (love recruiting, btw) & 2 weeks after layoff, @WCCO asked me to start a food blog.

I decided to put my career on pause and run with the food thing. I’ve accomplished a lot in the last year. It’s been a blast!

Q – #4    Neat! So in addition to recipes, how else do you cover food topics on your blog?

A: It’s mostly a food journal, but I also share stories from vacations, events, and talk about unique ingredients like black garlic.

A few of us bloggers have started a bread baking club and are baking our way through @ArtisanBreadIn5 Anyone is welcome!

On my @WCCO blog, Bite of Minnesota, I write about local farmers markets & using local ingredients. I want people to experience!

I have just started writing about events & restaurant happenings on @hotdishblog & write restaurant features for @TCFOODFINDS.

Q – #5    What are some local bakeries or local grocery/co-op’s that you’d recommend?

A: I try to bake my own bread, but Great Harvest Bread is close to me and works in a pinch.

I love Mississippi Market Co-op, but @VNFCoop is closer for me. I also love stopping at the fancy stores like Lunds and Kowalskis.

Q – #6    You know your local food places! Nice to be a little diverse in your work too! So what is your favorite comfort food?

A: I lean towards carbs for comfort food: pizza, garlic bread, potato and tortilla chips, mac & cheese.

But, if I’m in need of a pick-me-up, I drink freshly squeezed lemon juice w/salt. It perks me up & makes me feel comforted.

Q – #7    Also, what’s your favorite: Restaurant, cooking utensil store, cooking gadget and unique food?

A: Restaurant: @omminneapolis & French Meadow Bakery. I really don’t have a fav cooking utensil store (I already have enough!)

Cooking gadget: either my immersion blender or microplane grater. Use them both ALL the time.

Unique food: I’m really into black garlic right now & use in everything. I also love spirulina (in smoothies) & nutritional yeast.

Q – #8    Cool! So what’s your thought on healthy eating? Do you think more people are starting to give it more attention?

A: I thing we all TRY to eat healthier but I don’t think it is happening consistently enough.

I often tell people to focus on getting your fruits, veg, and whole grains first. The rest will fall into place naturally.

Q – #9    I can’t believe the hour is almost up! You’re fun to chat with. :) What advice or mantra would you like to end with today?

A: It’s been fun! I challenge people to get out of their comfort zones and try something new – make life exciting – YOU control it.

@JoelECarlson – Thanks for your time and for sharing today! Have a great day and a super weekend!

@cafecyan – Thanks @JoelECarlson! This has been fun and I appreciated your questions. Have a great day too!